Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.)/Briggs and Stratton governor

QuestionQUESTION: I have a Briggs and Stratton 5 horsepower Engine model # 12F802-2925-B1 and the governor is broken what is involved in repairing the governor

ANSWER: What is actually broke? If the governor arm inside the engine is broke then you have to remove the bottom engine sump to install a new arm. This repair will take at least an hour with all the proper tools and requires a new gasket and main oil seal.

If the blade adapter or any other parts are tough to remove then plan on several hours to repair.

Eric

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QUESTION: sorry that my previous question was short on infomation I was useing my smart phone to send you the question and I was very tired and anoyed that I shlepped the lawnmower up to my mothers house 4 hours away to cut the grass and then it breaks!!!

"I was mowing my lawn and the B&S engine model 12F802-2925-B1 suddenly lost power as if I throttled down the engine. I attempted to adjust the throttle and the engine stalled. I thought I first might be bad gas or perhaps the nest that the mice had made under the engine shroud during the winter was interfering with the linkage to the carburetor. However, now I think it is the internal governor. when I pull the start cord the engine runs for a second or so and the only way to keep it running is to spray engine starter spray into the air intake. everything else checks out OK. The carburator is nice and clean. I had just installed a new air filter does the symtom sound like the internal governor issue ? That is the one area I have never worked on in small engines. Any helpful thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated."

AnswerBriggs governors, internally, are pretty reliable. The only time I have seem them fail is when they are improperly adjusted...usually the arm will snap.

The symptom you described is very common with a dirty carb. Has the carb been dis-assembled and cleaned with compressed air and carb cleaner? You have to blow air, from an air compressor, and srpay carb cleaner through all the internal carb holes to clean them.

DO NOT mess with the governor arm or bolt!!!

Usually on your engine you have to replace the inlet needle, inlet needle seat, bowl gasket, and air filter to carb gasket...they usually rip when dis-assembling.

If the engine will run by priming with fuel directly into the carb then it is not getting fuel. Did you remove the engine shroud/cover and clean the governor arm area and clean out the mouse nest?

Experience

Born and raised in the midwest. Started tinkering with engines when I was about 14 on my Suzuki RM-80. I began lawn mower repair at a small hardware store. I knew absolutely nothing. I read lots of repair manuals and met an older fellow who taught me many lessons. I continued working on small engines through high school and paid my way through college working on mowers at the same hardware store. Decided to get away from the midwest and mower repair so I joined the Air Force. I repaired air traffic control electronic equipment and ended up in Hawaii where I got a part time job at Small Engine Clinic. I gained a lot of experience from the Small Engine Clinic and had a blast repairing small engines. I then took the Briggs and Stratton Master Service Technician test and earned my MST. I then traveled to Wisconsin where I attended the factory update training seminar and received formal training. Continued working on mowers part time as I completed 20 years of military. Retired from the military on a Friday and continued in the lawn and garden industry the next Monday.